Mexican eatery to take over notable East Nashville restaurant spot

A long-dormant East Nashville restaurant space that was once home to popular brunch destination — and then, briefly, a celebrity-tied concept — will soon welcome its latest occupant: locally based Mexican chain Cinco de Mayo.

Owner Carlos Figueroa hopes to open Cinco de Mayo's latest outpost at 1313A Woodland Street by June 1.

The East Nashville location will be Cinco de Mayo's ninth, following the upcoming opening of a Hendersonville location. Ultimately, however, Figueroa plans to shutter his Cummins Station eatery, as he said his lease is coming to an end and rent at the Gulch-area building has climbed too high.

The plan had been to move from Cummins Station to the new spot, Figueroa said, but he now expects to keep both spots open for a time. He's got about a year left on his Cummins Station lease, Figueroa said, although if business really booms at the East Nashville location he may close the Cummins spot earlier.

While the timing is a bit complicated and different from his initial timetable, Figeuroa said the Woodland Street building's location in the midst of a residential area with a lot of activity nearby made it too attractive to pass up.

"I have been looking to move to a spot in East Nashville for a while," Figeuroa said. "I just didn't want to let this spot go."

Liz Gatlin, owner of locally based architecture and real estate firm Southern Athena, handled the leasing for the Woodland Street building. In an email, Gatlin said Cinco de Mayo's local ownership and "strong, proven track record" made it a good fit for the space.